Trust
by Midnight Star and DragonFire
Summary: A story based after Hogwarts, a time in chaos as Lord Voldemort's power ascends and Hogwarts castle becomes the only safe place in the world. A sad story all about Trust.


# _Trust_

  
  
Hermione looked around. Recently the world had become hazy. Too unclear, too fearful. She closed her eyes and images flashed through her brain.   
With a strangled cry, she opens them again. The images...these past few days. They are too painful to recollect.   
"Hermione?" Ron Weasley calls. Hermione lifts her head from her knees and quickly wipes the tears from her eyes. It's a motion she's accustomed to by now.   
"Yes, Ron? What is it? Any news?" She asks.   
"Hermione...I- I mean. How am I-...oh..." Hermione almost recoils from Ron.   
"More bad news?" She asks, her voice filled with dread.   
"Hermione, Parvati Patil's dead." He says, his voice heavy. Hermione's eyes widen and she squeezes her eyes shut. "The Cruciatus Curse. Then they tossed her to the snakes." He sits down next to her and hugs her.   
"Ron, what's going to happen? Mad Eye Moody was killed, Seamus Finnigan's insane, Sirius Black is...has disappeared...he might not be dead!" Hermione says fiercely. "The Dementors are roaming the country, the giants, thank Magic, are staying out of it, Lupin...Lupin is recovering. Dumbledore rescued him just as the Kiss had begun...Fred and George are recovering from their accidents, Cornelius Fudge is dead. The ministry's in chaos. Penelope Clearwater's turned. Percy's in shambles...Now Parvati..." Her voice trailed off. She left the most important question for last.   
"Any news of Harry?" A desperate tone crept into her voice. Ron merely shook his head.   
"Last I heard he was in South Africa, tracking Voldemort." Those against Lord Voldemort said his name now. Not because they had rid themselves the superstition but as an act of defiance.   
Hermione nodded wearily. "Come, it's time for our class." She said, getting up and brushing the mud off her robes.   
They walked towards Hogwarts Castle. Yet now it was the Headquarters for the Struggle Against Voldemort and his Emissiaries or S.A.V.E. The students passing through learned only why and how to resist Voldemort, how to survive and basic Transfiguration and Potions. History of Magic, Astronomy, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination had been stopped.   
Once you enlisted at S.A.V.E, you either got drafted to battle or to teach. Harry had been drafted. That was no surprise. Harry Potter had defeated the Dark Lord on innumerous occasions...why not one more? Harry Potter, the hero.   
Hermione whispered her password to the goblin at the drawbridge. The Goblins had agreed to help Dumbledore. A small canoe appeared. Hermions climbed into it with Ron. They rowed to the other side. Ron rapped on the door in a pre-arranged pattern and a small doorway opened. Hermione lifted herself inside and helped Ron up.   
"How's Lavender?" Hermione asks, as they walk to the part of the castle where classes are conducted.   
"Oh....okay. She's taking Parvati's death badly. They were such good friends, you know." Hermione nodded. "We're getting engaged. You're the first to know...apart from Lavender, of course." Ron's feeble attempt to joke falls flat.  
"Congratulations." Hermione says, her voice sounding hollow to her own ears. "I'll, uh...see you later then, Ron?" She says, in front of her classroom.   
"Yeah...and Hermione, I'm here. You know, if you ever need anything..." he walks away to take the Potions class.   
The sound of children laughing fills the air. _Life goes on._Thought Hermione, wryly. But life for her could never go on without Harry Potter. He _was_ her life, her love. She swallows and picks up a Transfiguration textbook.   
She turns to face the class of care-free First Years.   


* * *

  
The fire next to Hermione's chair flares up and a head appears. It's unrecognisable at first and then it turns into...Harry!   
"Harry!" Hermione springs up from her chair and kneels next to the fire. "Harry!" She says.   
"Hermione! Are you all right? I'm in South Africa." The image flickers.   
"Are _you_ all right? I'm fine. Parvati's dead, Harry."   
"Damn! We'll catch Voldemort soon Hermione...soon."   
"Ron and Lavender are getting engaged." Hermione said.   
"Wonderful! I knew they'd make a good pair. Listen Carefullly, I'm going to be beside the Whomping Willow tonight at ten. Meet me there. Alone, I have something important to tell you."   
"But-....how?" Hermione started, but Harry's image had disappeared.   
Hermione's shoulders slumped, then she straightened up. Tonight she woulld see Harry. Tonight Love would emerge victor.   
She went back into her private room and collapsed into slumber on her bed. She tossed and turned. Searing images burned in her mind.   
The Dark Mark floating above her Muggle parents house...the looks of abject terror on her parent's faces...Seamus Finnigan's pitiful mumbling…the look of utter loss on Percy's face when she told him about Penelope Clearwater...the gaunt, sallow faced man that was once Sirius Black...visions, visions of Harry, bleeding...dying...   
Hermione was woken by screams, loud, terrible screams. It took her a second to realise they were her own. She was clammy and breathing hard. She looked at her watch. It was ten to ten.   
Hermione picks out her most stylish Robes and wears them. She squeezes large amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion into her hair. Finally she picks up her wand and left.   
Hermione walks slowly to the Whomping Willow...for some reason she wants Harry to be hers alone...he has always been everybody's...a celebrity. But tonight, he would be all hers.   
Harry steps round the base of the Whomping Willow as Hermione approaches.   
"Harry!" She cries and throws herself at him. He hugs her tightly. "I've missed you so much!" She says, her voice muffled by his robes. He's about 5 feet 9 inches now, and not so scrawny.   
"Hermione! Let me have a look at you!" Harry says, pushing her away and gazing intently at her. "_Stupefy!_" He says, slowly. There's a flash of recognition on Hermione's face before she is put in a full body bind.   
There's a cold laugh emitting out of Harry's mouth and then his mouth curls into a smile. "Poor...little...Hermione, always trusted too, too much!" He mocks.   


* * *

  
"Where's Hermione?" Ron asks the crowd of people. They all shake their heads. Ron heads for Hermione's private rooms and raps on the door. There's no answer.   
He winces and reaches for the door handle, and then steps inside. The room smells faintly of Jasmine, Hermione's favourite scent.   
The room is quite neat and all her books are organised. A few cards and letters from Harry are on the mantle. Those are the only decorations in the room. It's kept that way in case they need to evacuate it quickly, all the rooms are like that.   
"Hermione?" Ron says, tremulously. This is Hermione's private domain. Only she and Harry have ever been in here. It's obvious Hermione's gone.   
"Ron...you don't think Hermione's-..." Dean Thomas comes up. He stops, unable to say the unthinkable.   
"No! Hermione hasn't defected! She couldn't! Look, she was in love with Harry! Isn't that proof enough?" Ron says, flaring up. Dean lays a hand on his shoulder.   
"I'm sorry, Ron. I didn't mean it...hey, maybe she's gone to talk to Viktor Krum? He's probably on the Quidditch field, teaching the kids. Hermione's never been to good at flying." Dean offers. Ron nods his head and strides off.   
Dean Thomas shakes his head sadly. "What I wouldn't do for a friend like that..." He mutters to Neville.   
"Viktor! Viktor!" Ron shouts, trying to get his attention through the morning mist. Krum sees him and flies over.   
"Ron, vat is it? Is anything wrong?" His accent had lightened considerably over the years.   
"Hermione...have you seen her?" Krum shakes his head.   
"No, she doesn't come to see me now. Ever since ve broke up...three years, she just says 'hello, Viktor' in ze corridor. Vie? Is she lost?"   
"Vell- damn, I mean, well, we don't know yet...I don't know, Viktor...I have a feeling Voldemort's got something to do with this. She's never been late and besides, where could she go?" Ron asks, fretfully.   
"Maybe she vent for a valk? Anything is possible." Viktor looked over the grounds. "I tell you vat, I'll take my broom and fly around ze castle grounds? I find Herm-own-ninny." He says and flies off.   
Ron looks up. "No...Viktor...she's gone. He's taken her...I know he has." He says, to the wind and walks, shivering, into the castle.   


* * *

  
In a dark room somewhere far, Harry Potter lays Hermione on a bed. He conjured a fire and sits next to her.   
"_Enervate_!" He whispers. Hermione gasps and opens her eyes. She sits bolt upright.   
"Harry! What- why-?..." Harry interrupts her.   
"Hermione, dear, you always did ask too many questions...they will be answered..." He looks at his watch. "Soon enough."   
Harry's face and body suddenly start twisting, he seems to shrink and grow paler. His eyes change from green to grey.   
"Draco! But-...how?" Hermione draws back.   
"Polyjuice potion...I used some of the blood Harry so carelessly left behind when he helped revive our Lord." He gets up. "I suppose we should thank him...Anyhow, I suppose by now you know why you are here?"   
"You want Harry to come for me." She says, her voice devoid of emotion. Draco opens his mouth to answer when the dungeon door swings open. A cold pool of fear settles in Hermione's stomach.   
"My Lord, I have brought her, as you bade me." He says, bowing.   
"I can see that, Draco. Go and change back into your own apparel, the robes that fit Harry Potter do _not_ fit you." He bows and strides out. Voldemort turns his flattened features towards Hermione.  
"Hermione Granger...one of Harry Potters best friends and most recently, his little love. How is he? Trying to track me down in South Africa when I am not remotely there..." He turns and picks up a huge snake, which is writhing on the floor next to him. "This is Nagini." He says.  
He opens his mouth and hisses softly. "Nagini is waiting for Harry Potter...she has been waiting a long time for her meal...but not too much longer." His cold laughter rends the air. High-pitched and echoing.   
"I have Sirius Black. He took credit for finding the Potters and my downfall for _so_ long...I'm having trouble keeping the Dementors off him..." Voldemort trails off. Hermione shoots him a look of hatred. "Come." He says.   
Hermione gets up and surreptuously feels in her pockets for her wand. "You want your wand? I'm so sorry, I can't let you have it." Voldemort says, drawing her wand out of his pocket. Hermione's shoulders slump and she walks slowly behind him.  
"Pettigrew! What are you doing, skulking around?" Peter Pettigrew jumps and looks around guiltily as Voldemort stares at him.   
"I was-...looking for you, my Lord...I crave- beg, please...pardon, my Lord..." He stutters. "Spit it out, Pettigrew." Voldemort says.   
"I- Lucius Malfoy...has been-...taken, b-by Albus Dumbledore." Pettigrew flinches as usually, the messengers of ill news get punished for it by the Dark Lord.   
"Dumbledore! I will _not_ be upstaged yet again by that common Muggle-loving fool!" Dark blood seeped into Voldemort's cheeks. His red, slit like eyes burned.   
"I will kill Harry Potter! I will have his blood and I will show the world that I amd the greatest wizard of all time! All shall kneel before be! Do you understand, Hermione Granger? Is it not true?" He screams and shakes her.   
I will be brave. Brave for Harry. "No! Never true. Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter beat you by far."   
Lord Voldemort's face contorts. He looks more serpentine than ever. "All the wizarding world is loyal to _me_, all except Dumbledore and his pitiful group of rebels. Pitiful! See how they let Draco pass just because he looked like Harry Potter? He put a memory charm on them so Dumbledore will never know." He laughs again.   
"They are not _loyal_ to you! They are afraid of you...once your power is gone, they won't care! You know that. That's what happened last time! Not a single person helped you!" Hermione cries.   
His mouth curved into a snakish smile. "Defying me is of no good...join me...join the winning side, Hermione, we have use for those with your magical talent. Too many are without it." He shoots a venomous look at Pettigrew, who is still cowering on the floor. He kicks him. "Begone, Wormtail!"   
"I will never join you." Hermione says. Voldemort doesn't answer, and keeps walking. He draws up in front of a door.   
"Answer me later...I am sure your-...mind, will-... change."   


* * *

  
"Did you find her?" Ron asked, hope in his voice   
"No...vos looking everyvere...I am vorried, vere is Herm-own-ninny?" His accent becomes more pronounced.   
"I'm going to Dumbledore." Ron says, tiredly.   
"I vill take you, yes? Ve vill get to zere faster viz my broom." Ron nods and steps onto it.   
"So, you're not mad at Hermione, then?" Ron asks as they zoom through the corridors.   
"Vos mad, and after vos okay. Vos realising not her fault. I thought _you_ liked her."  
"I did. Then Lavender and I sort of got together..and she's one of my best friends."   
"Vell, vos mostly mad because of zis Harry Potter...I vonce asked him, if he and Herm-own-ninny vere going out, and he say no. Then zey are going out...vos weird." He said 'weird' with a british accent and Ron smiled.   
"Well, they only liked each other later...they were only friends, ah, Dumbledore's office!" Ron hopped off the Firebolt and knocked.   
"Ronald, Viktor, come in." Albus greets them. Everyone was on first name terms now...crises, ironically, bring people together.   
"Albus, we have something important to tell you." Dumbledore's face furrows and he lets out a small sigh. "Hermione's gone."   
"Gone? How gone? Was she Taken?" He asks, quickly. Hermione is one of the key teachers.   
"I have a feeling Voldemort has something to do with this...I don't know." Ron says, shaking his head. Dumbledore sits at his desk and motions for them to sit down. "I think it has something to do with Harry."   
Albus shakes his head gravely. "I think we should tell Harry quickly...he'll want to know...Ron, I will tell you where he is. Apparate there and tell him. Bring him back, quickly. We need to find out what Voldemort is up to." Albus shows Ron a position on a map. Ron nods and takes his wand out.   
He mutters a spell and is gone. "How did zey get in?"   
"I don't know, Viktor...but we'll find out...they must have lured her into the grounds."   
"Vouldn't ze guards remember something like zis?"   
"Memory...is a funny thing. One little, simple memory charm is enough. Ah, here they are...Harry, welcome back."   
Harry's face has a look of utter panic on it. "Hermione's gone? How long? How could she be gone? How did she-..."   
"She's been gone for about a day now, Harry." Albus says, kindly. "Sit down." Harry stays standing, a look of amazement on his face.   
"Harry, I'm so sorry, I should have been keeping an eye on her for you, I'm just- I'm sorry..." Ron bursts out.   
"It's okay Ron, it's not your fault." He says, distractedly. The door knocks. Albus crosses the room to answer it, a look of distinct displeasure on his face.   
He swings the door wide open. Cho Chang is there. She bites her lip when she sees Harry and looks away.   
"I found her near the Quidditch field." Cho says, levitating Hermione's body into the room. "She isn't Stunned, she's just fainted or asleep or something."   
Albus has a look at her. Ron gets up. "I'll go to Madam Pomfrey for some Pepper up potion." He sprints out of the room. "Viktor, I'm taking your broom." He calls, but is gone before Viktor answers.   
Cho is looking distinctly uncomfortable. "Hi Viktor...Harry. This is quite a-...reunion." She said, looking at Hermione and Krum. "So, how've you been..we haven't talked for a while."   
"Oh fine...busy...still haven't caught Voldemort. But I will." His voice hardened, looking at Hermione. "Here, Cho, let her down." He said, holding her. Cho dropped her wand and Harry carried Hermione to a chair. He set her down gently and held her hand.   
"Got it!" Ron exclaimed, coming in. He placed the potion onto Hermione's lips and poured some down her throat. Her ears began to steam. She opened her eyes.   
"Ron...Harry!" She scrambled up and hugged him. Suddenly she pushed him away. "Is that-...you? Albus, are you sure it's him...?" She said, glaring at Harry suspiciously.   
"Yes, Hermione, I'm sure." Albus said. Hermione sighed in relief, but sat down. "Now, what happened?"   
"Well, yesterday, Harry talked to me through the fireplace and asked me to meet him near the Whomping Willow. So I did, only thing, you- he, Stunned me. Next thing I know I wake up in this dark room somewhere with you-him over me. It was Draco Malfoy, he used blood from the Triwizard Cup time to make Polyjuice Potion." She tok a deep breath.   
"Then Voldemort met me...and he said he wanted to use me as bait...for you, Harry. So he left me in a cell to think it over...a house-elf, said she was Dobby's cousin, let me out...Sirius' cell was just next to mine...he told me to go to Pettigrew's room...said a wand would be there, said he would hold them off, but I should go." Hermione brakes down crying. "He was hurt so badly...yet he told _me_ to go..." She drew in a ragged breath.  
"I almost got to Pettigrew's room when McNair saw me. He got all the Death-Eaters...I found the wand...I blocked some curses and then Apparated just outside Hogwarts. The goblins at the gate let me in...I think I passed out near the Quidditch field... Goyle got me with that Sleep Spell, looks like..." She hugs herself and breathes slowly.   
"Harry...we've got to get Sirius...he told me where Voldemort's headquarters are. They're in Germany, Dusseldörf. I can't bear Sirius being there!"   
Harry nods and looks at Dumbledore. "Yes, Harry, you may go...be careful...Hermione, Ron, you may go also. Viktor, we need you. The Quidditch Final is today. We must keep the morale up!"   
Harry smiled. Whatever happened in the Wizarding World...Quidditch would always be around.   
Hermione pointed out the location on the map. "Not exactly the Marauders Map, but it'll do." Ron said, smiling.   
"Three, two, one...let's go!" Harry said and they Disapparated.   


* * *

  
Harry, Ron and Hermione Apparate inside the castle.   
Harry looks around. It's dark, and he can't see well at all. A Wizard with a pale, snake-like face comes out of the shadows. "Welcome, Harry Potter." Voldemort says.   
Harry and Ron draw back. The room is suddenly full of Death-Eaters. They appear out of the shadows, wands out. "We're trapped!" Harry says, looking round.   
"Let Hermione and Ron go. This is between you and me." Harry says, his voice shaking at the words he says.   
"No...no...you see, this is rather a- ah, _family_ affair, you might say." He smiles a cruel, twisted smile.   
"Come here, Hermione, my dear." He says, smoothly. She silently glides up and joins him.   
Harry's face is aghast and Ron let's out a strangled squeal. "Hermione! No!"   
"What have you done to her?" Harry shouts.   
"It's just a little Imperius Curse...you should be proud of your little friend Harry Potter...it took me _so_ long to brake her in. My throat nearly went dry from performing the Cruciatus Curse so many times...of course, her throat was dry from screaming."   
He flicks his wand toward Hermione and she is released from the spell. She falls to her feet and retches.   
Harry tries to reach her but the Death Eaters form a living wall. They put a force field round her and slide back into place.   
Hermione finally looks up. "Harry, I'm-...I'm so sorry- please...forgive me, Harry..." She starts to sob. "I'm sorry!"   
"No matter...you will be dead soon enough...now, Harry, I finally finish the work I began eighteen years ago. I will prove that I am the greatest Wizard in the world."   
He lifts his wand and breathes in.   
"Voldemort, please, not Harry!" Hermione pleads. "Please, not Harry!" "Avada Kedavra!" He says. At the same moment, the force field around Hermione shatters and Hermione scrambles up.   
"No!" She screams and pushes Harry down. The spell hits her instead. There's a little smile of triumph on her face as she falls, seemingly unhurt, onto the cold floor.   
Voldemort lets out a roar of anger. He raises his wand and points at Harry, who is holding Hermione's body.   
"My Lord, please, no! She died to save him! Touch him now and the same thing will happen again!" Draco Malfoy yells. Voldemort lowers his wand.   
"So, another muggle-born dies for you, Harry Potter! Are you so afraid? Looking to another's help each time you face me?" He taunts. Harry doesn't listen.   
His head is filled with voices. Voices saying 'No, please, not Harry, not Harry...' only now Hermione's mix with his mother's. They meld and form a beautiful voice. Guiding him, talking to him...telling him to leave this hate-filled place. He gets up, holding Hermione. Her face is fixed with that beautiful smile and her hair is still sleek with Potion.   
He Disapparates.   


* * *

  
"Harry!" Dumbledore exclaims as Harry apparates in his office. "What? Hermione-...is she- is she..."   
"Avada Kedavra..." Harry whispers.   
Those two words had destroyed everything. Everything that cast hope in his life. Avada Kedavra. Two tiny little words...he wished that Voldemort would come kill him now. It would be more merciful...too much pain, too much suffering.   
He closed his eyes. Voldemort didn't have to kill him now, anyway, Harry thought, holding Hermione's already cold hand, he was already dead. 


End file.
